CONCERN OVER THE ENVIRONMENT Following the Chief Executive's policy address in 1999 on environmental improvements and his stress on the priority in improving air quality in the policy address in 2000, Transport Department continues to take active measures to ameliorate air quality. These measures include replacing diesel taxis with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) taxis, exploring the use of electric light buses, controlling the growth of the franchised bus fleet, enhancing bus operations in congested areas, introducing bus-bus and bus-rail interchange schemes, improving vehicle emission, and implementing pedestrian schemes. LPG Taxis The conversion of diesel taxis to LPG taxis showed much progress. At the end of 2003, about 18,094 LPG taxis were operating on the roads, representing over 99% of the whole fleet. A total of 46 LPG filling stations are operating in various parts of the territory. On top of this, about three additional filling stations are scheduled to commence operation in 2004. Since the disbursement of a one-off grant to encourage taxi owners to replace their diesel taxis with LPG ones, there have been few, if any, diesel taxis imported or newly registered in Hong Kong. We have amended the relevant legislation to formalize the situation such that no diesel taxis could be imported into Hong Kong from 1 August 2001. LPG / Electric Light Bus The Government has proposed a voluntary incentive programme in end 2001 to encourage existing diesel light bus owners to replace their vehicles with LPG or electric ones. After consultation with the PLB trade, the voluntary incentive scheme was formally launched on 27 August 2002. PLB owners who replace their diesel PLBs with LPG or electric ones can apply for a one-off grant of $60,000 or $80,000 respectively. The deadlines for application are end of 2004 for diesel PLBs aged 10 years or above and end of 2005 for diesel PLBs aged below 10 years at the time of de-registration. At year-end of 2003, there were 637 licensed LPG PLBs in Hong Kong. Controlling the Growth of the Franchised Bus Fleet To ensure efficient use of the existing franchised bus fleet, we are scrutinizing the companies' five-year development plans very carefully. Buses have been diverted from the urban busy areas to new towns in the New Territories to meet the population growth and transport demand. Bus Operations in Congested Areas To enhance the efficiency of bus operations, bus stop rationalization schemes were implemented in Central and Causeway Bay District. Some 210 bus stoppings per hour were removed along the busy corridors in these areas in 2003. At the same time, some bus routes currently travelling via Yee Wo Street were diverted or truncated, resulting in a reduction of some 440 bus trips daily. For Central and Nathan Road, bus routes were also rationalized, thereby removing some 260 and 140 bus trips per day from these areas respectively. Bus-bus and bus-rail Interchange Schemes To reduce the demand for direct bus services, relieve congestion and minimize the environmental impact on busy corridors, bus-bus and bus-rail interchange schemes with fare discounts offered to the interchanged passengers are being promoted. 24 bus-bus and 3 bus-rail interchange schemes were introduced in 2003. Improving Vehicle Emission By the end of 2003, about 79% of the 6,179 franchised buses were running on engines in compliance with the Euro emission standards. All new buses to be purchased by the franchised bus companies will comply with the latest Euro emission standards. For pre-Euro buses, the franchised bus companies are either upgrading them to meet Euro standards, scrapping and replacing them by new buses of the latest Euro emission standards or retrofitting them with diesel catalysts (CATs). In 2003, 6 pre-Euro engine buses had been upgraded into Euro I engines buses and 360 buses were scrapped. All of 2,652 pre-Euro and Euro I buses have been fitted with CATs or continuous regenerating traps by the end of 2003. In addition, the bus companies had continued to conduct the trial of CRTs on Euro II and III buses in 2003, which were more effective emission reduction devices on buses with Euro II and III engines. Since February 2001, all franchised buses have been using diesel with ultra low sulphur content. Pedestrian Schemes In order to enhance road safety for pedestrians, promote walking and improve the overall pedestrian environment, Transport Department has implemented pedestrian schemes in Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Wan Chai, Sham Shui Po, Jordan, Stanley and Sheung Shui. These schemes have been well received by the public at large. As at end 2003, we have implemented 6 Full-time Pedestrian Schemes and over 20 each of Part-time Pedestrian Schemes and Traffic Calming Schemes. They include: (i) Full-time Pedestrian Schemes: Russell Street, Paterson Street, Jardine's Crescent, Theatre Lane, Chiu Lung Street and Nanking Street. (ii) Part-time Pedestrian Schemes: Lee Garden Road, Lockhart Road, East Point Road, Great George Street, Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Nelson Street, Tung Choi Street, Soy Street, Lan Kwai Fong, D'Aguilar Street, Wo On Lane, Apliu Street, Fuk Wa Street, Pei Ho Street, Kweilin Street, Temple Street, Stanley Main Street, Stanley Market Street, Stanley New Street, San Hong Street and San Kung Street. (iii) Traffic Calming Schemes: Kai Chiu Road, Foo Ming Street, Lan Fong Road, Pak Sha Road, Yun Ping Road, Russell Street, Paterson Street, Great George Street, Lee Garden Road, Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Fa Yuen Street, Shan Tung Street, Haiphong Road, Hankow Road, Canton Road, Peking Road, Lock Road, Ashley Road, Ichang Street, Queen's Road Central and Johnston Road.